Light assemblies for shelves are used to illuminate the contents on a shelf. These assemblies are designed to eliminate the need for overhead lighting or higher levels of ambient light. Light assemblies may be used for various types of shelving units, such as library shelves, magazine stands, retail shelves, grocery shelves, etc.
The light assemblies may be mounted above the shelving unit to illuminate the entire unit. Instead, individual light assemblies may be mounted to an edge or bottom surface of each shelf to illuminate the contents on the shelf below. Mounting the light assemblies to the edge or bottom surface of a shelf typically requires drilling holes in the shelf and mounting the light assembly thereto, which is time-consuming and destructive of the shelving unit. The light assemblies may instead be clamped to the edge of the shelf; however, the light assembly often disrupts the continuity of the shelf. This is inconvenient when it is desired to slide objects on and off the shelf, such as sliding books on and off the shelf in a bookstore or library.
Thus, it is desired to have a shelf light assembly that is adapted to be mounted to an edge of a shelving unit without disrupting the continuity of the shelf and without drilling holes in the shelf. It is further desired that the light assembly be mountable over an entire shelving unit to illuminate the entire contents of the shelving unit.